Bruno Walpoth, Sitting woman, 2017 nut wood, 105x50x54cm

Bruno Walpoth born up from a family of wood sculptors, and he honors a centuries-old tradition and modernizes it for the 21st century. He carves life-sized human figures from blocks of wood, and finishes the sculptures with acrylic paint. Walpoth began his training in the studio of his grandfather and uncle, both of whom carved ecclesiastical figures. His more formal art training began in 1973 when he worked under Vincenzo Mussner in Ortisei. In 1978 he moved to Munich to attend Der Bildende Künste academy where he studied with Professor Hans Ladner until 1984.

Walpoth combines the education from the studios of Ortisei and their 400 year history of woodcarving with the techniques and forms of contemporary sculpture. Parts of his sculptures are often painted in typically muted colors; he uses this coloring to create their clothing, hair, or sometimes their skin. Rather than telling a story through his sculpture, Walpoth aims instead to capture an isolated and introspective moment. His figures stand rigid in their own thoughts with their eyes often eluding those of the viewer.

Most widely known for his sculptures in wood, Walpoth has recently also produced sculptures in cardboard and bronze. Having participated in numerous solo as well as museum shows, Walpoth’s works are widely collected internationally. In 2015, he participated in “Personal Structures – Crossing Borders” in conjunction with the 56th Venice Biennale.

About the artist

Bruno Walpoth

*Bressanone, Italy, 1959
1973 – 1978 sculptor's apprenticeship with Vincenzo Mussner - Ortisei
1978 – 1984 academy "Der Bildende Künste" in Munich, with Prof. Hans Ladner 
1985 – 2008 teacher at the vocational school for sculptors in Selva Val Gardena
1996 foundation of the sculptor's group "Trisma"
with Willy Verginer and Walter Moroder
Since 2000 member of the "Südtiroler Künstlerbund"

About the exhibition

Dates: 2019-03-05 - 2019-05-01Location: 3A Gallery, CAFA Art MuseumOpening: 2019-03-05 15:00Organizers: CAFA Art Museum, Zhejiang Art MuseumCooperation: Beijing Artopia Culture and Art Co., Itd.

Courtesy of the artist and CAFA Art Museum.